Dustproof hydraulic coupling



Aug. 11, 1953 R. M. ULRICH 2,648,553

DUSTPROOF HYDRAULIC COUPLING Filed March 13, 1951 Patented Aug. 11, l1953 DUSTPROOF HYDRAULIC COUPLING Raymond M. Ulrich, Roanoke, Ill., assignor to Ulrich Foundation, Inc., a corporation of Dela- Ware Application March 13, 1951, Serial No. 215,338

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to an improved separable hydraulic coupling, and more particularly to such coupling which is so constructed as to be substantially dust free.

It has now become customary for manufacturers of tractors to provide on the tractor a source of hydraulic power. This power is controlled and used for the control of hydraulically adjusted or actuated implements and farm equipment drawn by the tractor. It has been customary to provide a safety arrangement in the hitch between the tractor and the draw bar of such implement to bring about an unhitching action whenever the implement becomes stuck or encounters some obstruction.

This safety arrangement, therefore, prevents undue damage to the implement. Accordingly, it is also necessary to provide some means for uncoupling the hydraulic conduit or conduits eX- tending between the tractor and the implement. For this purpose there have been provided separable hydraulic couplings which, usually by means of a reciprocable sleeve, produce an uncoupling action. It has been found, however, that in devices thus far provided reliable operation is not always assured because dust enters into the crevices and certain working parts of the coupling. It therefore would be desirable to provide an improved coupling which is substantially immune to the effects of dust and other foreign matter.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved separable hydraulic coupling which is substantially not affected by operation under dusty conditions.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved hydraulic coupling device which in coupled relation does not permit the entry of dust and foreign material.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved coupling for hydraulic conduits which has a swivel connection.

lOther and further objects of the present invention subsequently will become apparent by referring to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing where- 1n:v

Figure 1 is a plan View of a separable coupling constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is an. end view of one portion of the coupling as seen in the direction of the arrows along the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

' Figure 3 is a perspective View of the other portion of the coupling with one element thereof removed; and

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the coupling shown in Figure 1 as seen in the direction of the arrows along the line 4 4.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawing there are shown hydraulic conduits II and I2 interconnected by a separable hydraulic coupling I3. The coupling unit I3 has a female body portion I 4 and a male body portion I5 retained in coupled relation by a structure subsequently to be described. The female body member carries a reciprocable sleeve I6 which is shown in Figure 3. `One end of the sleeve I6 is spring biased so as to be normally flush with one end I'I of the female body portion I4. This end of the sleeve I 6 has two similar diametrically arranged cut-away portions. Each portion I 8 has an arcuate recess I9 adapted to engage one of two oppositely arranged projecting pins on the male member I5. Immediately adjacent the recess I9, which serves as a latching member, there is`provided an inclined surface 2I arranged to engage another portion of the pin whenever the sleeve I6 is reciprocated in a direction in opposition to the spring biasing means.

The cut-away portion I8 also has a straight or annular portion 22, which is engaged by the pins whenever the two coupling portions are being connected together. The pin, therefore, engages the straight portion 22 to reciprocate the sleeve suciently to permit the pins to reach their ultimate position.

The end I'I of the female member I 4 is provided wth two opposite, angularly arranged, inclined slots 23 adapted to be engaged by the pins of the male member I5. When the pins reach the bottom of the slots 23 the latching portions I9 of the cut-away portions I8 of the sleeve I6 serve to hold the two coupling members in coupled relation.

It will be noted that in Figure 3 the end of the sleeve I6, which is provided with the cut-away portions I8, appears to have a reduced diameter in order that it may receive a ring 20 which encloses the cut-away portions I8 and the slots 23 in normal position.

Figure 2: is an end view of the male member which has an enlarged cylindrical body portion 24 of the same diameter as the maximum diameter of the sleeve member I6. The male member I5 has a reduced diameter portion 25 having at its end a closure ball 26. Two projecting pins 21 extend outwardly from the reduced diameter portion 25 so as normally to extend beyond the slots 23 of the female member I'I and into engagement with the cut-away portions I8 of the sleeve I6. The face of the enlarged body portion 3 24 is provided with an annular recess which carries a packing ring 28. The radius of the groove for the packing ring 28 is substantially that of the inner diameter of the ring 20.

Certain further details of the construction are illustrated in Figure 4 from which it will be seen that a pin 29 extends through the central bore of the female member I4. Mounted against the pins is a stop member 3l having three or more legs and a central cylindrical portion 32. The

central cylindrical portion 32 is hollow and carries a spring 33 which engages a closure ball 34. The closure ball is arranged to seat against a valve seat 35 'whenever the device is uncoupled. IThe closure ball 3d normally when seated protrudes beyond the end surface of the seat 35 so that it will be engaged by the closure ball 25 of the male member. rThe female body portion I4 is provided with an annular recess carrying a packing ring 35, which engages the inner surface of the sleeve i6. Both the sleeve It and the female member is are provided with recessed portions for receiving the biasing spring 3l, which normally urges the sleeve to position where it is flush with the end I'i of the female member Ill. The female member l has an inner passage for receiving the reduced diameter portion 25 of the male member. This passage is provided with an annular recess carrying a packing ring 3Q so that a Yfluid tight connection is obtained between the male and female portions of the coupling prior to the time that the closure balls Sli and 26 are displaced from their respective seats.

The sleeve It beneath the ring 2t carries a key 39 which moves in a key-way il formed in the body of the female member I. Thus the key 3s limits the movement of 'the sleeve It to a linear direction.

It will be noted that the pin 2l is engaged by a ball stop structure i2 having a central recess containing a biasing spring Q3. This spring normally urges the closure ball 2e against its seat. From Figure l it will be noted that the stop members v3i and :i2 limit the movements of the balls 3Q and 26 to a certain position whereby the balls are arranged in axial alignment. lThis provides a passageway which will have a minimum effect in turbulence on fluid following therethrough.

it will be seen that the body 2t of the male member carries the enlarged portion 2d as a separate member which is held in position by cooperating thread structure dll. The member 24, therefore, is a coupling collar having a reduced internal diameter portion de arranged opposite a rotatably mounted portion t5. The rotatably mounted portion .te has an axial bore provided with threads for engaging a coupling remaining portions of the coupling. The relative motion of the sleeve I@ from the coupled position brings the surfaces 2l into contact with the ends of the pins 2l thereby initiating a rotary movement of the male portion 25. The pins 2l thereafter, due to hydraulic pressure within the axial passages of the male and female portions, and the axial strain move along the grooves 23. As soon as the balls 3d and 26 reach their seats, no further action may be attributed to the hydraulic pressure, but the axial strain continues to work and bring about the remaining uncoupling action.

n order to couple the two portions of the coupling together it is only necessary to insert the pins 2l' into the slots 23 and to push the two male and female member-s toward each other. The pins 2l will move down the slots 23 producing a turning motion of the male member with respect to the female member. The outer extremities of the pins 21 when in engagement with the straight surfaces 22 of the cut-away portions I8 produces a longitudinal movement of the sleeve I6. After the pins 2 have reached the bottoms of the grooves 23, the recesses I8 of the sleeve I6 Will be engaged to produce a latching action by a return movement of the sleeve. The pins 21 thereafter cannot of themselves move out of their positions until there is a relative motion of the sleeve I6 with respect to the female member I4 brought about by an axial force.

While for the purpose of illustrating and describing the present invention a preferred embodiment has been shown in the drawing, it is to be understood that such variations in the arrangernent and in the components employed are contemplated as may be commensurate with the spirit and scope of the invention set forth in the accompanying claims.

I claim as my invention:

l. A separable coupling comprising a cylindrical male member having oppositely arranged projecting pins, a female member therefor having at one end oppositely arranged inclined slots, said pins protruding beyond said slots when said members are coupled together, a reciprocable sleeve surrounding said female member, means limiting said sleeve to linear movement and biasing said sleeve toward the slotted end of said female member so as to be normally flush therewith, said sleeve having at one end oppositely arranged axially transverse cut-away portions each provided at one end of said transverse portion with a latching recess for said pins and an inclined surface adjacent thereto for engaging said pins when said sleeve is reciprocated to produce rotary and linear motion of said male member, said inclined portion being at a lesser angle to the axis of said coupling than said inclined slot, annular means enclosing said cut-away portions of said sleeve, said male member having a cylindrical portion in abutment with said sleeve and said annular en-V closing means when coupled together.

2. A separable coupling comprising a vcylindrical male member having oppositely arranged projecting pins, a female member therefor hav-` ing at one end oppositely arranged inclined slots, said pins protruding beyond said slots when ,Said members are coupled together, a reciprocable sleeve surrounding said female member, means limiting said sleeve to linear movement and biasing said sleeve toward the slotted end of said female member so as to be normally flush theres with, said sleeve having at one end oppositely arranged axially transverse cut-away portions each provided with a latching recess for said pins and an inclined surface adjacent thereto for engaging said pins when said sleeve is reciprocated to produce rotary `and linear motion of said male member, a fixed annular member enclosing said eut-away portions of said sleeve, said ma-le member having a cylindrical portion as large as said annular enclosing member in abutment with Isaid sleeve when coupled together, and a packing ring carried by a recess in the face of said cylindrical portion for engagement :by said sleeve and said fixed annular member.

3. A separable coupling comprising a cylindrical male member having oppositely arranged projecting pins, a female member therefor having at one end oppositely arranged inclined slots, said pins protruding beyond said slots when said members are coupled together, a reciprocable sleeve surrounding said female member, means limiting said sleeve to linear movement and biasing said sleeve toward the slotted end of said female member so as to be normally flush therewith, said sleeve having at one end oppositely arranged axially transverse cut-away portions each :provided at one end thereof with a latching recess for said pins and an inclined surface adjacent thereto of lesser angle to the axis of said coupling than said inclined slots for engaging said pins when said sleeve is reciprocated to produce rotary and linear motion of said male member, a tubular collar enclosing said cutaway portions of said sleeve, said male member having a cylindrical portion of the same diameter as said tubular collar enclosing said cutaway portions yof said sleeve and being in abutment thereto when coupled together, a recess in the face of said cylindrical portion of said male References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,871,370 Jacques Aug, 9, 1932 2,076,918 Robison Apr. 13, 1937 2,248,701 Fowler July 8, 1941 2,339,746 Marchus Jan. 18, 1944 2,402,616 Fenton June 25, 1946 2,533,640 Ulrich Dec. 12, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 9,145 Great Britain Dec. 21, 1911 

